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Osgood has attempted at using the I guess you could say "normal" style type of goalie mask numerous times throughout his career, and has stated he doesn't like it, that it doesn't fit right to him,and doesn't feel comfortable.

If I remember correctly he stated that when making saves or scrambling around, the bottom of the mask hits where his chest and neck meet, and bothers him.

I highly doubt at this stage in his lengthy career he would attempt this again.

Anyone have pictures of his "normal" style mask he's used in his career?

If memory serves me correctly, they were pretty frickin awesome. It was some sort of wizard, with a glass ball, and the Wizard of Oz on it. It'd be cool to locate some pictures...

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Ozzy should have a custom made mask like the one he has with some sort of kick ass design on it...cuz the mask he wears now makes him look like he is on a team of 7-8 year olds! That wizard of oz mask design sounded pretty cool.

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I think i remember hearing he wore his "new" style one and took a puck to the face and it cut his forehead...

idk, i like the helmet Ozzie has...it pretty much defines him now looks wise

Actually he got hit in the head and got cut when he was wearing this one. It was a game between the Wings and Canes back in the 97-98 season. I heard his reason for not using one is he had trouble seeing the puck at his feet. I personally like his helmet too. It's "his look."

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I recently heard an interview where they said Osgood has a backup supply of the older style mask including a couple they got off e-bay. They don't make that style any more and Osgood wanted enough to last the rest of his career.

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Hey guys, I absolutely love goalie masks, the designs, different styles, etc., etc. Anyways here is a little bit if info I drudged up -- some of it is related to Ozzie's mask, some is related to one of my all time favorites, Dominik Hasek, and his mask and then I threw in a couple pics of my favorite goaltended masks in the NHL.

None, of this is particularly new information, in fact I am sure you all pretty much have read it before in some capacity. Either way, I figured I would toss it up here anyways for fun.

A USA Today piece from back in 2007 where Osgood talks about his mask, why he doesn't paint it and why he prefers the older style that he has worn throughout his career:

"One of the interesting tales that I could not weave into the story was that mask designer Frank Cipra is such a skilled artist that he was able to paint a design on a micro-sized hearing aid for one of his buddies. I also found it interesting that Detroit-based artist Ray Bishop has painted masks for goalies in Sweden, Germany and the United Kingdom, and recently he received a mask from a goalie in South Korea. But I couldn’t work that into the story either.

But the most significant information that I couldn’t fit into the piece was Chris Osgood’s explanation for why he has no artwork on the vintage bucket-style headgear that he wears. At my request, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press asked the Wizard of Oz why he wears that archaic lid on his head, or why he at least doesn’t put a splash of paint on it.

“It's tough to paint -- I don't think it would ever stay on,” Osgood said. “I’ve had it painted but it just chipped off all the time. I wear that style because I can see better out of it than I can out of the new ones - I tried wearing those a couple of times and I just couldn't get used to them just because I feel I can't see down.”

At 35, Osgood is playing some of the best hockey of his career, leading the NHL with a 1.79 goals-against average. He's not going to change his equipment at this point.

“I could paint it,” Osgood said. “But I like it the way it is now. I used to get guys bringing me masks all the time with (Wizard of Oz) kind of stuff on them but I just like the way it is, just plain and simple."

"The goaltender mask evolved further from the original face-hugging fibreglass mask designed by Plante. in the 1970s, a helmet/cage combination became popular, which was popularized by Vladislav Tretiak, the noted Russian goaltender who competed against Canada in the 1972 Summit Series. Like the original fibreglass design, the helmet/cage combination has been criticized for not providing adequate facial/cranial protection. Dan Cloutier switched from this type of mask to the widely more popular full fiberglass citing safety reasons upon the advice of the Los Angeles Kings. Dominik Hašek, a Hart Trophy and Vezina Trophy-winner in the late 1990s used this type of mask; Hašek retired from the NHL in 2008. Chris Osgood, playing for the Detroit Red Wings, and Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins are the only current NHL goaltenders to use this type of mask, the latter being the only one to use a helmet/cage combination specifically made for use by a goaltender."

"The only added details to Chris Osgood's Cooper SK 2000 helmet and HM 30 cage are the "Nike/Bauer" decals that cover up the Cooper logos."

Here is Hasek's when he was with the Wings. He kept the same birdcage helmet but got creative with it, well at least as creative as the style of helmet/mask allowed him too:

Here is my man with a plan, Ty Conklin's head wear. I like it a lot, I mean it's nothing crazy, but looks smooth for sure:[/b]

And then another view of Conklin's mask:

Here are a couple of my favorite masks that goaltenders are wearing these days. Love the art, color scheme, all of that good stuff. Looking at these makes you think how hard it would be to actually paint one of these things.

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I happen to like Ozzie's. I look at it from an aesthetic standpoint that he's making a bit of a statement with it.

I don't need skulls, demons or teeth to make the other team scared.

See that "Detroit Red Wings" on the side? That's enough.

Scared yet, or have you already run away?

You don't need skull's, demons, or teeth? Are you a NHL goalie deciding on what you need on your mask?

I like Ozzie's mase too, but I really don't think it's necessary to denegrate or mock other goalies artwork. Ozzie likes it plain, which is great, and the other guys like theirs painted, which also is great --

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Osgood's cage is actually a broomball style goal cage from what I've been told. I tried to get one for myself as I used to have the same problem in goal with pucks around my feet. The goalie pro at the store told me the only way to do it was to find an old cooper/bauer helmet and put on a broom ball cage. Needless to say, I like my eyes and wanna keep them as long as possible, so I stayed with the "modern" style!

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You don't need skull's, demons, or teeth? Are you a NHL goalie deciding on what you need on your mask?

I like Ozzie's mase too, but I really don't think it's necessary to denegrate or mock other goalies artwork. Ozzie likes it plain, which is great, and the other guys like theirs painted, which also is great --

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Hasek is my all-time favourite player. Here are his Ottawa and Buffalo masks:

When Hasek was in Buffalo around '95 I used to have my walls covered with his posters. There was a poll of the greatest goalie ever in NHL.com and I was amazed to see that he wasn't included. Brodeur, Roy, Hall, Sawchuk, Esposito, but no Hasek. How many goalies have won Hart and Pearson trophies twice?

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I'm sorry but I don't like all the chaos on goalie masks. Conklin's octopus and Dom's Wing/wheel design is one thing because it represents the team. But Kill Bill and Darth Vader and demons are going overboard. If I were an NHL goalie I would much rather be plain and simple and wear my team logo than have all this meaningless stuff going on.

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I'm sorry but I don't like all the chaos on goalie masks. Conklin's octopus and Dom's Wing/wheel design is one thing because it represents the team. But Kill Bill and Darth Vader and demons are going overboard. If I were an NHL goalie I would much rather be plain and simple and wear my team logo than have all this meaningless stuff going on.

It's rather telling, isn't it?

The paint job on a goalie's mask is the individual goaltender's attempt to bring his personality to bear - what HE likes/enjoys/finds important. What HE is all about.

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Josh Hardin's sister was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and Josh wanted to do something to help bring attention to the cause. (You can read all about it at www.fundthefight.com) Here are some pictures of his mask..

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